Understanding Revelation #9 Series

SESSION #9: REVELATION #12 – WAR WITH THE DRAGON:

“Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.” (Rev. 12:1-2).

• A woman clothed with the sun...moon...twelve stars – who is this woman?

• “Then Joseph dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” (Genesis 37:9).

• Joseph, son of Jacob (Israel), dreamed a dream about the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to his star (see Genesis 37:5-11) - this women represents ISRAEL.

“And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” (Rev. 12:3-4).

• Stars = angels – one third of the fallen angels followed Satan in his rebellion

• The devil was ready to devour her Child – who is this Child? Jesus!

• The devil tried to kill Jesus as soon as He was born:

• “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under…” (Matt. 2:16).

“She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” (Rev. 12:5-6).

• A male Child to rule all nations with an iron rod – this is Jesus:

• “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance…You shall break them with a rod of iron.” (Ps. 2:7-9).

• He was caught up to God and His throne – “Jesus has gone into Heaven.” (1 Peter 3:22).

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.” (Rev. 12:7-8).

• Great war in Heaven – the archangel Michael led the angels to fight Satan

• Note: It was God who initiated the war – NOT the devil.

• The devil and his fallen angels were on the defensive.

• The devil lost the battle (obviously) and was forced out of heaven

• This is what Jesus prophesied about His militant church: “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (hell) shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18).

“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Rev. 12:9).

WHO IS OUR ENEMY?

• the ancient serpent - who tempted Eve in the beginning (Gen. 3:1-15)

• the Devil - “the Slanderer” - the father of lies (John 8:44)

• Satan - “the adversary” - or accuser (v.10)

• who deceives the whole world - as the father of lies

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” (Rev. 12:10-12).

• This battle was fought and won in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus – past tense.

• Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand!” (Mark 1:15)

• They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb – symbolic of Jesus’ death

• We overcome the enemy today through the Cross and the word of our testimonies